


Bittersweet Goodbyes and New Beginnings

by TheSecretFandom



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Bittersweet, F/M, Graduation, Marriage Proposal, Memories, Moving On, New Beginnings, Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 17:51:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12393120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSecretFandom/pseuds/TheSecretFandom
Summary: The day has finally come for them to say goodbye to Riverdale High and hello to the real world that awaits them. Betty and Jughead have big plans in New York City, but are Jughead's plans just a little bit bigger than expected?





	Bittersweet Goodbyes and New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> The Core Four Graduation dream sequence got me in the mood for a graduation fic, so enjoy this little ditty following Betty on her graduation day.

"C'mon, V. The boys are here to pick us up." Betty sat on her windowsill, where she could see FP Jones' old truck in her driveway. Archie and Jughead were sitting on the hood, waiting for the girls to come down.

Veronica was sitting at Betty's vanity, where she'd been for the past two hours, applying makeup and doing her hair. Betty had brought an extra chair in from the kitchen so they could both share the mirror. However, Betty's makeup routine was much less elaborate than Veronica's. A simple line of eyeliner ended in an almost unnoticeable cat eye, a few swipes of mascara, and her favorite Pretty in Pink lipstick, the one she saved for special occasions. 

Veronica, on the other hand, wore a full face of makeup. Foundation, contour, highlights… all the things that Betty never did unless Veronica did it for her, like she had for her first anniversary with Jughead. Betty had hated it, and Jughead complained about the makeup that she left on his pillowcase when they were…messing around that night.

"You can't rush perfection, B." Veronica responded as she finally pulled her Midnight Berry lipstick across her lips. The two girls were like Ying and Yang, black and white, fire and water… complete opposites. Betty in a baby blue dress with a lace overlay and bubblegum pink pumps and Veronica in a tight black, high-necked dress with a stiff peplum circling her center and nondescript black heeled booties.

Veronica glided over to the window and pulled up on the frame. She knelt over Betty as she stuck her head out the window and shouted to the two handsome boys waiting for them. "We'll be right down! Archie Andrews, if you get your pants dirty so help me God!" She pointed a stiff finger at her boyfriend… one that he'd gotten used to seeing over the years. It was a warning.

Betty laughed as Archie jumped of the hood of the truck, which she could tell Jughead had washed for the occasion. Veronica was already halfway out the door when Betty stood to follow her. Betty stumbled down the carpeted hallway in her heels, praying to God she wouldn't trip and fall as they walked down the center aisle of their high school gym that afternoon.

Archie opened the front door for Veronica, who pecked his cheek with her freshly colored lips. A dark purple stain was left on his freckled cheek. Veronica blushed.

"Oops, sorry Arch." She tugged a tissue from her purse and wiped the mark off his face.

Jughead waited by the driver's door. His body seemed to shrink behind the door as he watched the other's through the window. Betty raised an eyebrow curiously. Why was he acting weird?

Betty decided it must be the nerves. It had taken her some time to convince Jughead to actually show his face at their graduation ceremony. He'd wanted to skip out on it. After all, it was just a dumb ceremony where he would be forced to pretend he'd actually miss their high school and his classmates which, of course, he wouldn't. Jughead's words, not hers.

"You look nice, Jug." Betty smiled sweetly as she stepped up to her boyfriend. She opened her arms to him and tried pulling him into a hug.

Jughead fidgeted under her touch, his hands landing on her shoulders. He pushed the girl's body back slightly and bent down so his lips grazed hers. They might've stayed that way forever, his arms on her shoulders, hers on his hips, and lips pressing together softly, if not for their other two friends waiting for them. 

"Get a room, you two." Veronica sighed. "Wait, scratch that…you two would actually get a room."

Jughead smiled at the memory. Betty had thrown him yet another birthday party when he turned eighteen, but only because he'd agreed to it, and on the grounds that the party be at FP's trailer. At least that way he could keep uninvited guests away. Cheryl, Reggie… the rest of the football team and the River Vixens? They wouldn't be caught dead in a trailer park on the Southside.

Over time, Betty had taught Jughead to love his birthday. More importantly, she'd told him where they would go after the party was over. Betty and Jughead had been all over each other pretty early that night, the booze loosening Betty's lips as she crawled all over her boyfriend. Lips on his neck as the music blasted around them.

Archie and Veronica had stumbled into the kitchen looking for food, when they found Betty sitting on the countertop with Jughead pressing her against the cabinets as his lips wandered over the bare skin of her neck and shoulders

"Get a room." Veronica had said. They did just that.

Jughead was so caught up in his memory he didn't even remember sliding into the driver's seat. The truck's cab was small, only meant for three people, only comfortable for two, and currently holding four. Veronica was practically sitting in Archie's lap and Betty was scrunched in next to him.

"Seatbelts?" Jughead said, which garnered a lot of glares.

It was a short drive to the high school, and the student parking lot was already filled with the cars of their classmates and teachers. All but one space was filled, marked with a sign for the student body president.

The presidential parking spot was instigated by none other than Cheryl Blossom, who'd somehow manipulated her way into a position of power. She'd also instituted senior parking privileges. Jughead hated to admit it, but Cheryl had done some good work in her time.

The truck grumbled to a stop and the four friends piled out of the cab like clowns in a miniature car. Betty and Veronica linked arms as they walked headlong into their high school for the last time.

Archie looped his arm in Jughead's, mimicking the girls in from of them, but didn't garner the reaction he wanted. Normally Jughead would pull away from him or at least laugh, but today his eyes were slightly glazed over and he was hardly speaking.

"You okay, Jug?" Archie clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder.

Jughead blinked a couple of times, his eyebrows knit together in thought. "Just… just nervous is all."

"Yeah, me too."

The cafeteria was full of students pulling royal blue robes over their shoulders. Everyone begrudgingly pulling their caps over meticulously styled hair. Jughead was limited in a different way. He knew he wouldn't be allowed to wear his beanie for this occasion, and he was glad that he would have a different cap to disguise his perpetual hat hair. Regardless, he hesitated to remove his beanie. He was more comfortable with it on, and everything about this day was entirely uncomfortable.

Betty adjusted his tie as they waited to be called into the gymnasium. When Principal Weatherby finally came to retrieve the senior class Betty held out her hand expectantly. Jughead slid his hand into hers, assuming that was what she was expecting.

"Jughead…" She had to speak loudly over the pandemonium of teenagers filing toward the door. "The hat."

Betty nodded toward his beanie and Jughead pulled the piece of cloth from his head sadly and handed it to his girlfriend. She, in turn, handed over the cap that Jughead had drawn a crown on with black sharpie.

"You ready?" Betty asked.

Jughead's breath caught in his throat as Betty tried wrapping her arms around him. He thrust his hands into his pockets, and Betty scrunched her nose up at him. She was annoyed, he could tell, that he wasn't reciprocating any of her touches today, but she would understand.

"Okay, sourpuss." She backed away slightly, just to give him the space that he apparently needed today. "Get your hands out of your pockets and I'll zip you up."

Jughead looked so handsome and grown up with his tie poking out just above the robe he was wearing. His hair was poking out under his cap in much the same way that it did under his beanie, and Betty adored that little curl. Jughead would often be caught fiddling with that piece of hair that was always falling in his face.

"See you after?" Betty leaned up to give Jughead a quick kiss on the lips.

Jughead tried to smile, but it came out in more of a grimace. "Yeah, after… right."

Betty slid through the crowd to her spot in the line toward the front. Cheryl was already standing at her spot, right next to Betty. Having last names back to back in the alphabet put them right next to each other.

"Ah, the bittersweet goodbye." Cheryl crooned, her voice a sweet as maple syrup. She looped her arm through Betty's as the doors into the gymnasium swung open. "I will miss you Betty Cooper."

Cheryl had never said anything so nice to her before. It was slightly disconcerting, but because this was the last time they'd have to interact she decided to ignore the out of character announcement.

"I'll miss you too Cheryl."

Cheryl offered her a close-lipped smile, signature Cheryl Blossom red lips contrasted beautifully with her royal blue robes. Betty vaguely recalled Cheryl campaigning to be allowed to wear an all red cap and gown to 'set her apart as the president,' but the school had declined.

All of a sudden the school band started playing Pomp and Circumstance, and Archie , being at the front of the line, led the way for the rest of their class to follow. Betty quickly glanced behind her, where Jughead stood just next to Kevin. She raised her eyebrows at them as if to say, 'This is it." And then she was following alongside Cheryl to their chairs at the front of the gym.

Their seats lined up in the most perfect way, so that Kevin and Jughead took their seats just behind where Betty sat. It wasn't as good as having Jughead right next to her, but it was good enough.

Principal Weatherby spoke first, welcoming the parents, friends, and families of the graduates. This was followed by a speech by Mayor McCoy. The salutatorian and valedictorian were also required to give speeches. Betty still wasn't sure how Cheryl had managed to keep a 4.0 even during all the issues that befell her during their sophomore year, but Betty was just as happy with her 3.98 GPA, which meant she had to make her way to the stage.

Deep breaths, she reminded herself, deep breaths. Her speech was sitting on the podium when she walked up the set of temporary steps to the stage. Betty hadn't spoken in front of so many people since the mayor's jubilee over two years ago. She was nervous, so she made eye contact with Jughead; he was always able to keep her calm.

"I want to start off by thanking all of you for coming. To our families, thank you for making us the people we are today and for supporting us during this trial run at life, preparing us for the real world. To our friends, thank you for being the second family we never knew we needed, for understanding us in ways that our families couldn't."

"I have a few very important people that I need to thank personally. My parents, who have made me strong and prepared me for the craziness of the real world. To Polly and the kids, you inspire me every day. To me, you three are the perfect family and I want something like that one day. Archie and Kevin, for being two of my best friends for as long as I can remember. You've always taught be to go after the important things in life and to only settle for the best. To Veronica, for being the friend I never knew I needed, who showed up exactly when I needed her and provided a female perspective on life that I'd never experienced before."

"Finally, I want to thank Jughead. You're always there for me. You support me through all my crazy ideas and love me even when I'm angry. You make me want to do better, to work hard… to make my dreams come true. Thank you… from the bottom of my heart, thank you."

Betty finished off her speech with some crap she'd written about missing her classmates, her teachers, and the town, though she didn't mean any of it. Of course, she'd come home to visit, but she and Jughead were both headed to New York City for school, where they'd share similar classes, Betty majoring in journalism and Jughead double majoring in creative and non-fiction writing. She'd have everything she needed in New York, in the small studio apartment she and Jughead had signed a lease for just last week.

The applause from the audience was forced, but that was to be expected at an event like this. Cheryl passed Betty on the stairs as she took the stage and Betty hurried back to her seat, heart racing. Jughead placed a hand on her shoulder and she immediately calmed. She will never fully understand how Jughead's hand on her shoulder always made her feel better.

She zoned out during Cheryl's speech, which was far too long, and only began focusing on the ceremony again when their row was dismissed to walk to the stage and receive their diplomas.

"Archibald Andrews."

Archie walked across the stage, receiving his diploma from the principal and shaking hands with him, the mayor, the and the superintendant. Cheryl marched confidently across the stage, blowing a kiss to the audience.

"Elizabeth Cooper." Kevin cheered for her as she walked across the stage, while Jughead sat smiling and clapping; silently supporting her.

Betty was already back in her seat when Jughead was set to walk across the stage.

"Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Third." Jughead's given name garnered laughs from the audience, some of whom didn't realize that the other name he went by might be just as laughable.

The ceremony was coming to a close as the last members of the class returned to their seat. There was, however, one last little thing to close off the event. Every year at the end of the graduation ceremony they showed a slideshow containing pictures and a chosen senior quote for each student.

It wouldn't be winning any awards, that was for sure. Just a simple slideshow, with no transitions, and a song overlaid in the background. It was unremarkable, really, but Betty was excited to see what quote Jughead had chosen. He had refused to tell her beforehand, no matter how much she begged. Surely it was something really deep from one of his favorite movies.

When his face finally appeared on the screen Betty's stomach dropped, her heart raced, and her cheeks flamed red. There, written in italics under Jughead's ridiculously long name, was something that Betty would have never seen coming.

'Betty Cooper, will you marry me?'

She spun around in her chair so quickly she could have gotten whiplash. Jughead was kneeling on the floor behind her, ignoring the stares from his classmates and the rest of the audience. He only had eyes for Betty, and his heart pounded as he waited for a response. Maybe this was the wrong way to do this, he should have done it in private. A million thoughts were running through his mind even as Betty crawled over her chair and into Jughead's arms.

Her lips crashed against his and she was glad that he was finally hugging her back. Something hard was pressing into her back as she hugged her, and she finally made the decision to pull away. Jughead pulled his hands back in front of him, where he held open a small velvet box. Inside sat a simple silver band with a gem placed elegantly on top.

"It's white sapphire." Jughead said. "I'll get you a diamond, I promise, I just need to save up a bit more."

Tears were falling softly down Betty's pink cheeks. "I don't want a diamond, this is perfect."

The smile on Jughead's face threatened to split open his cheeks. He'd never been so happy in his life. "Is that a yes?"

Betty nodded, unable to even form words at that moment. Jughead slid the ring onto her finger and kissed her again. Their classmates were still staring, even as they were dismissed and began filing out of their seats.

"I think we should probably run away." Jughead whispered to her.

"Why?"

"I think your mom might be ready to murder me."

Betty glanced behind Jughead, where her mom had found a seat pretty close to the front. She had the same look of rage she'd had when Betty had stayed over with Jughead in FP's trailer and returned home with a hickey on her neck.

"You're right," Betty said. "Let's run."

Betty and Jughead jumped from the ground and Jughead grabbed his girlfr- his fiancé's hand. But Betty couldn't run in her heels. Instead, Jughead bent his knees so Betty could hop on his back. He piggybacked her out of the gym and out the front doors of the school, where their classmates were lined up waiting for their families.

Jughead ran them past their friends, amidst cheers for the couple, and Jughead didn't stop until they'd ran back to the solitude of the parking lot, where he finally set Betty down on the hood of his dad's truck.

"You are something else Jughead." Betty fiddled with the hair at the back of his neck. "But I love you for it."

"I love you too, Betts." He placed a soft kiss to her lips. "Always have and always will."

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr @thesecretfandom


End file.
